


Catching Up

by Madness_of_Xara



Series: Shekarian ((Crystal Shepard)) [2]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: But I'm doing it, Catching up with old friends, Cute things, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, I don't know what I'm doing here, Party, Romantically awkward boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-18 07:03:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8153224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madness_of_Xara/pseuds/Madness_of_Xara
Summary: In which Crystal throws a party at her apartment for all of her old friends to come and enjoy.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cat2170](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat2170/gifts).



> Requested by Cat2170.

“Are you sure you want to have a party this early?” Garrus asked her. “I mean… You haven’t really even upgraded up your wheelchair to crutches yet…”

Crystal smiled and brushed her hair back away from her face. “I’m fine, Garrus, really,” she informed him. “Besides. I’m going stir crazy without some serious socialization… Being in a coma sucks.”

“If you’re sure…”

“I am.”

 _Ding dong_.

“Looks like someone is here,” Crystal chirped, her eyes lighting up in delight. It was so cute, Garrus realized with a soft chuckle.

“I got it,” he informed her softly. Opening the door, there stood EDI and Joker, the former in a new feminine robotic body seeing as to how her prior one had been destroyed and the latter hunched over some, an arm wrapped around EDI for support. “EDI, Joker… It’s been a long time.”

“Shepard,” EDI addressed, nodding at the woman in the wheelchair. “Congratulations on recovering your near death experience aboard the Crucible.” She smiled some. “Also, thank you for destroying me when you chose to destroy the Reapers.”

Crystal frowned a little bit at that, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. “Yeah… Sorry about that… It was the only thing I thought would work… I mean…”

EDI held up a hand to stop Crystal right there. “I understand your reasoning for it, Shepard. It was the only route in which ensured the ending of the Reaper invasion. If I were an organic in your situation, I would have picked the same option. So, don’t worry about it.”

“Talk for yourself,” scoffed Joker, flaring his nostrils some.

“I was,” EDI replied simply.

Garrus chuckled, shaking his head. “Welcome to the party, you two,” he told them. They smiled at him some and nodded, going to sit on the couch in the living room part of the apartment. Shortly after they had sat down, another person had arrived at the door.

“Kaiden?” Crystal asked a little hopefully. The Biotic grinned and walked over to her, hugging her tight. “Kaiden! It’s been too long.”

“No kidding,” the male replied to her as he pulled away. “I’ve missed you. I’m really happy that you’re still alive… I thought you had died.”

“I thought I died, too,” Crystal told him. “But, like I told Garrus, I’m too stubborn to die, let alone _stay_ dead.” She beamed. “I’m glad to see you alive, too.” The male was then officially welcomed to the party in the same matter as EDI and Joker, and he joined the two in the living room, chatting with them about something or another.

One by one, people showed up. James had silently challenged Crystal to get up, and she had, though shakily and _very_ weakly. With his help, she was able to sit back down without plopping down. He told her that he was glad to see her alive, breathing, and stubborn as ever. After him came Tali with a Geth in tow, still wearing an enviro suit but no helmet, just a mask over her mouth to allow her to breathe without risk of contamination. Crystal commented that she thought that she destroyed the Geth when she destroyed the Reapers. Tali told her that she had, but they managed to scrap up was left and rebuild them. It was a simple and easy process for them to do, after all. After they were welcomed in, Wrex and Grunt showed up, both grinning like idiots. They were happy to see Crystal after all this time. Wrex boasted that he knew that she was alive – she was vastly superior to her fellow humans! Not to mention that he recalled having made her an honorary Krogan back on Tuchunka for her actions in aiding his race. Grunt snorted and punched his arm, telling him that he was starting to talk as much as a female Krogan. Before a fight could break out, they were quickly welcomed into the party. Others had showed up as well, allowing the party to go into full swing.

Crystal smiled, unable to help herself. After all, all of her old friends were back in one place, having a good time and catching up with everyone. Well… Most of her old friends, anyways. There were some that couldn’t make it due to the war… Her smile wavered at that. Why wasn’t she strong enough to save them? To help them when they needed it most? Everyone told her before that she had done what she had to, that she had always had to make the more difficult decisions and there was no reason for her to beat herself up over it, but… It just hurt knowing that there had been _nothing_ she could have done to save Ashley, Mordin, Thane, and so many others.

“Crystal?”

She blinked, brought back, now, to the waking world. Looking up, it was Garrus, holding a glass of what appeared to be scotch in his hand. “Huh? S-sorry… Guess I was lost in thought-.”

“Here,” Garrus said softly, handing her the drink. After she delicately took it, he sighed. “You had _that_ look on your face.”

“ _That_ look?”

“The look like you’re thinking about some people who… couldn’t be here.”

Crystal was silent for a moment before she downed the scotch quickly. With a heavy sigh, she looked up at him. “How could you tell?”

“That war really made that look happen way too often.”

The woman frowned deeply at that. She had no idea that she had made that facial expression in the first place. Now that she knew though… She felt bad about it. She forced a bit of a strained smile. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Garrus leaned down and kissed her temple. “You don’t have to force a smile around me, Crystal… Just try to focus on the party, okay? Enjoy the time we have with the friends that are living. That’s what everyone would want.” He brushed some hair away from her face. “Okay?”

She nodded. She could certainly try.

With that, the two submerged themselves in the party, talking to everyone. Jack had continued to teach at the new and improved Grissom Academy, having a new class of kids – the old class she had during the war had graduated and moved on to having jobs in the military. She couldn’t have been prouder. Kolyat had been busying himself working toward a cure for Kepral’s Syndrome, wanting to make certain that what happened to his father wouldn’t happen to anyone else. Samara told Crystal about the restored Sanctuary, informing her that her daughter sends her regards before pulling out a card and handing it to her. It had been from Falere, and upon opening it, it was signed by everyone who now lived at the Sanctuary. Crystal thanked her for everything. She received a smile in response. Javick was still alive and kicking, believe it or not. He said that because he believed that she had died, he had wanted to take over in her place in aiding those who needed it. She had rubbed off on him, it seemed, but he seemed embarrassed about it. Now that he knew that she was alive, he asked if it was okay if he continued. Crystal had told him it was more than alright with her that he did. He beamed at that.

With each person she talked to, Crystal found that a lot had changed in the time that she had been gone – Liara was still the Shadow Broker, but she liked to travel, to indulge in her old habits of archeology, and with Feron by her side, it was much more enjoyable; James had returned to Earth after the war to help rebuild and to join the N7 program, and apparently, he was the best of the recruits; Kaiden remained in Spectre status, and alongside EDI and Joker, he traveled around, doing as the Council ordered and helping those in need that they came across (with a chuckle, he had joked that it was always a constant competition between him and Javick as to who would get there first); under the supervision of the Urdnot clan, the Krogan race was booming, Wrex had six daughters and eight sons, and Grunt had nine sons and three daughters; the Quarians were settling back on Rannoch, all of them happy to finally have their homeworld back, and the Geth, after being restored, AI and all, they were already able to start taking off their masks entirely, but only for a short time (they still needed masks to breathe without risking getting sick, especially outside of the homeworld); and everyone was settling back into their newfound lives.

She was glad that she had thrown the party – it would have taken _way_ longer to look up the changes that had happened over the years if she had tried to look it up on the Extranet.

Crystal told everyone that if they wanted, they were free to stay the night – she knew some of them loved to drink, and there was no reason that they couldn’t enjoy themselves. Some said they would take her up on her offer, others declined because of plans the following day or just wanting to not feel like a burden on the couple who lived in the apartment.

That night, after some people left and others had settled down for the night, Crystal lifted herself into bed, sighing happily. She smiled up at her boyfriend, who was getting changed for bed. “Tonight was a lot of fun…” she said softly.

“I’m glad,” Garrus told her with a smile. “I was worried at first, I’ll admit. I didn’t think you were ready for a party so soon after coming home…”

“Are you kidding? I wanted to see everyone again,” Crystal giggled. Once he laid down, she rolled over and snuggled herself up to his chest. She then sighed happily. “So much has changed…”

“Not everything, though,” Garrus told her, wrapping a loving arm around her as he slipped his other arm under his head.

“Oh?” she questioned softly.

He leaned down and kissed her sweetly. “My love for you never changed,” he whispered.

Crystal blushed deeply, blinking slowly. She then laughed and kissed him in return. “You goof… I love you, too.”

They smiled at one another, holding one another close. They then kissed one another one more time before settling in for sleep. “Goodnight, Garrus.”

“Goodnight, Crystal. I love you.”

“And I you.”


End file.
